Liquid-containing container

ABSTRACT

A liquid-containing container (1) comprising a removable lid (7) and a liquid-tight protective membrane (10) which is located between the surface of the liquid (6) and the lid (7) and is attached to the inside of the container (1), said protective membrane (10) being connected with a relatively rigid element (11) with depressions (12, 13) for fixing tools (14, 15) in the container.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a liquid-containing container comprising aremovable lid, and in which a tool holding element is provided in theinterior of the container, but protected from the liquid therein, forthe accommodation of one or more tools for use in the utilization of theliquid in the container.

A container of the kind described is known from AU,B, 466274. This knowncontainer has a lid consisting of a first or inner layer adhered to aperipheral flange at the top of the container, and a second or outerlayer attached to the first layer in such a manner that iy can be peeledback from it to give access to a tool accommodated in a tool holdingelement formed by a recess in the first layer, which is moreoverprovided with a severance line to give access to the interior of thecontainer after the tool has been taken out of the recess.

The known container is a food container, and after the outer layer hasbeen peeled back and the tool has been taken out and the severableportion of the inner layer has been removed, the tool, which may, e.g.,be a spoon, a fork or a drinking straw, can be used for extracting thefood for immediate consumption.

The lid construction of the known container would not be suitable for acontainer, such as a paint container, where it is a requirement that thelid can be used for renewed effective closing of the container after useof a part only of the liquid in the container, and/or that it should bepossible to maintain the lid in an erected position during the processof utilization of the liquid, e.g., in the application of paint by meansof a painting roller.

It is an object of the invention to provide a liquid-containingcontainer of the kind described, which fulfils the above-mentionedrequirements. To achieve this object, according to the invention, thetool holding element is a structural part separate from the lid and isconnected to a liquid tight membrane located between the surface of theliquid and the lid and is attached to the inside of the container.

Liquid-containing containers comprising a removable lid and aliquid-tight protective membrane located between the surface of theliquid and the lid and being attached to the inside of the container areknown per se.

Typically, paint containers of this type are made form a plasticsmaterial, and usually the protective membrane is a film which is heatwelded onto the inside of the container.

The protective membrane serves to prevent loss caused by evaporation ofvolatile components of the paint such as solvents and preservatives incases where the lid does not provide sufficient protection against lossby evaporation. This is especially the case in connection with largepaint containers where the side and/or end walls can easily become sodeformed during transport that leaks are formed between lid andcontainer mouth.

This invention is based on the recognition that the protective membranecan also be utilized for an additional purpose, viz. for carrying a toolholding means as described in such a manner that tools accommodatedtherein are protected from the liquid in the container. Thus, noadditional structural means have to be provided for carrying the toolholding element, and the lid is entirely unaffected by the tool holdingfunction and therefore can be constructed and used to fulfill anyspecific requirements.

The tool holding element preferably consists of a vacuum-shaped tooltray, and advantageously this tool tray can be fastened to the underside of the protective membrane, e.g., by welding or glueing.

It is to be noted, though, that the protective membrane does notnecessarily have to extend over the tool tray which in that case shouldbe made from a diffusion-tight material.

The container of the invention is particularly suitable for packingpaint.

In connection with the sale of paint through a paint dealer, there isoften a need to tone the paint in order to achieve a colour which isclosely adjusted to the customer's wishes.

In order to fulfil this need the tool tray preferably comprises a holewhich is covered by a thin membrane which constitute a part of theabove-mentioned protective membrane. When the paint is to be toned, ashole is cut out in the membrane and the colour concentrate for toning isadded to the paint through the hole. Then the hole is closed, e.g., bymeans of tape.

Subsequently the paint container is placed in an apparatus for vibratingthe paint and distributing the tone therein.

When the user is to use the optionally toned paint, that part of theprotective membrane which may cover the tool tray is removed with aknife and the painting tools can be removed. Then the tool tray isremoved by cutting the membrane along the inside of the container. Thecontainer is preferably designed so that part of the protective membraneis adapted to remain therein. Thus, e.g., a corner of the membrane cancomprises a sheet-shaped element having a hole of such shape that apaint brush can be placed therein in an approximately vertical position.

The depressions in the relatively rigid element are preferably shaped insuch a way that a paint roller with handle and/or one or more paintbrushes can be placed therein.

As mentioned above, the container of the invention is particularlysuitable for packing paint. It can be used for packing various otherliquid media which are to be applied onto a surface by means of simpletools, such as paint brush, paint roller and the like.

The invention will now be described in further detail with reference tothe drawings; and

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a paint container of the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a paint container of the invention without lid seen fromabove and with a part of the membrane cut away, and

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view along the line III--III through the paintcontainer of FIG. 2 without tools.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the drawing 1 is a rectangular plastic container comprising two sidewall 2 and 3 and two end walls 4 and 5. The plastic container is partlyfilled with paint 6 (see FIG. 3). The side wall 3 to hinge-connectedwith a lid 7 which can be fastened in a position in which the lid 7forms an extension of the side wall 3 by means of a handle 8, the endsof the handle being rotably mounted in fastening means 9 located on theouter side of the end walls 4 and 5 of the container. The container 1comprises a membrane 10 (see FIG. 3) which is welded along its edgesonto the inner side of the side walls 2, 3 and the end walls 4,5 of thecontainer.

A tool tray 11 is fastened to the under side of the membrane 10. A paintroller with handle 14 and a paint brush 15 are placed in correspondingdepressions 12 and 13 in the tool tray 1. Furthermore, the tool tray 11comprises a hole 16 for introducing tone in that part of the container 1which is located below the membrane 10.

Finally, a corner of the container 1 comprises a sheet-shaped element 17with a weakened line 18. When cutting through the sheet-shaped element17 along the weakened line 18, an incission 19 is formed and thisincission can be used as paint brush holder.

When a user is to start painting, the lid 7 is opened and placed in theposition shown in FIG. 1. Then part of the membrane 10 covering the tooltray 11 is cut away and the paint roller 14 and the paint brush 15 aretaken out. Then the tool tray 11 is cut free by cutting through themembrane 10 close to the side walls 2, 3 and end walls 4, 5 of thecontainer 1, and in this connection the sheet-shaped element 17 is cutalong the weakened line 18 to form the incission 19.

Then the painting operation can be started, and when the paint brush 15is not in use it can be placed in a vertical position in the incission19. In this position the brushes of the paint brush are positionedrelatively close to the surface of the paint and the paint on the brushwill be less inclined to dry than when the brush is placed outside thecontainer.

We claim:
 1. A liquid-containing container comprising a removable lid; a liquid within the container; a liquid-tight membrane forming a liquid-tight seal in said container between said liquid and said lid; and a tool holding member within said container, said tool holding member having a recess and being attached to said membrane such that said recess is protected from contact by said liquid.
 2. A container as in claim 1, wherein the tool holding member consists of a vacuum-shaped tool tray.
 3. A container as in claim 2, wherein the tool tray is fastened to a side of the membrane facing said liquid.
 4. A container as in claim 2, wherein said liquid is paint and wherein the tool tray comprises a hole covered by a membrane for introducing tone into a part of the container which is covered by the membrane.
 5. A container as in claim 2, wherein the liquid is paint and wherein a part of the membrane consists of a sheet-shaped element which provides an incision for fastening a paint brush. 